In conventional manner, optical fiber ribbons are used in telecommunication cables for conveying information optically.
Document EP 0 950 908 discloses an optical fiber ribbon comprising, for example, two subsets disposed in a common plane, the subsets being connected to each other and being separable so as to make them easier to install respectively in optical systems.
More precisely, each subset comprises a group of optical fibers arranged in a common plane, said group being coated in a first matrix forming a first casing and obtained by irradiating a first liquid resin that is cross-linked under the action of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The subsets are connected to one another by a matrix forming a common casing and obtained by irradiating a second liquid resin that is cross-linked under the action of UV radiation.
The method of manufacturing the optical fiber ribbon comprises the following successive steps:                an operation of forming each subset of optical fibers, this operation comprising:        arranging N groups of optical fibers so that the fibers in any one group are disposed in the same plane;        applying a first layer on each group of optical fibers so as to encase them, each first layer being of a first liquid resin that is cross-linkable under the action of IJV radiation; and irradiating the first layers with UV radiation to form first cross-linked matrices;        a ribbon-forming operation comprising:        applying a second layer onto the first matrices in order to form a common casing connecting together the N subsets, said second layer being made of a resin that is cross-linkable by UV radiation; and        irradiating the second layer with UV radiation in order to form a second cross-linked matrix.        
The productivity of that method of manufacturing an optical fiber ribbon is low because the method requires multiple operations of changing machine and putting work into place.